Published on: February 19, 2026, 12:42 PM

Updated on: February 19, 2026, 12:43 PM

• McGregor reveals he’s been approached for a fight on the White House UFC card
• Rousey announces her comeback – but outside the UFC
• Sports bookmakers anticipate a surge in betting for the White House UFC event

This week has been packed with exciting MMA updates, starting with our coverage of the anticipated UFC White House card. Notably, Conor McGregor first acknowledged an invitation to compete in this event on social media, only to remove the post later that same night. Additionally, the much-anticipated announcement that female MMA icon Ronda Rousey will return to the ring after a decade on May 16 has captured headlines, as she plans to face her longtime adversary Gina Carano, who is also coming out of retirement.

Rousey’s return is particularly intriguing since she will not compete under the UFC umbrella. Instead, her match is being promoted by Most Valuable Promotions, a company owned by Jake Paul, and will be aired on Netflix.

Streaming Live on Netflix

The UFC entered into a new 7-year, $7.7 billion broadcasting agreement with Paramount, another streaming service, earlier this January. The inaugural event under this deal, UFC 324, took place in late January, featuring a thrilling lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, with Gaethje emerging victorious. This event reached 7.18 million homes across the U.S. and Latin America, making it the most-watched UFC event in nearly ten years across various broadcasting platforms (source: Adobe Analytics and Nielsen Media).

While Rousey has been actively promoting her Netflix fight, posting on X about the layered rivalry, she stated:

“This rivalry has so many layers – @netflix isn’t playing around – bet you we can surpass @paramountplus’ @ufc viewership numbers.”

Impressive Paramount Metrics

It’s worth noting that Netflix boasts over 300 million subscribers worldwide, while Paramount has over 79 million, per Reuters. Nonetheless, Rousey versus Carano carries an air of spectacle reminiscent of Jake Paul facing Mike Tyson.

The UFC, under the leadership of Dana White, is gearing up for a significant White House event scheduled for June, which is expected to break viewership records on Paramount.

When the announcement was made last year about President Trump wishing to host a live UFC event on the White House lawn to celebrate the country’s 250th anniversary, McGregor expressed interest in participating.

Since suffering a leg injury that resulted in a TKO loss to Dustin Poirier in July 2021, McGregor has not competed in the UFC Octagon. He was slated to return against Chandler at UFC 303 in June 2024 but had to withdraw just weeks prior due to a toe injury. This leaves McGregor with a record of three losses in his last four UFC fights.

Betting Forecasts

This week, McGregor confirmed via social media that he had been proposed an opponent and date, which he accepted, and was awaiting a contract—though he later deleted the announcement. A day before, White mentioned that while plans for the White House card were “complete,” specific details were withheld, and he was set to meet with Trump about it.

The upcoming White House event is expected to feature a compact fight card, likely containing seven or eight bouts. Conversations with sportsbook traders indicate it may lead to a substantial surge in sports betting.

“This UFC event is anticipated to be one of the most exciting in recent history, given the fighters involved and the unique setting,” said Ethan Useloff, Sports Trader at Fanatics Sportsbook. “We’ve witnessed significant betting interest for events showcasing big-name fighters like Volkanovski, Pereira, and Dvalishvili, especially for those with a numerical designation.”

“Justin Gaethje was a major draw last year at UFC 324, and if he faces Ilia Topuria on the South Lawn, I expect the betting to exceed previous benchmarks. UFC betting is on the rise, and staging an event at the White House on Flag Day will only accelerate this trend.”

Strong Start to the Year

Brandon Yaeger, Combat Sports Lead Trader at Caesars Sportsbook, noted that betting activity for UFC has started strong this year, with overall volume showing positive growth.

“It’s difficult to estimate what the White House event will generate without any officially announced matchups, but it is likely to attract many casual viewers, suggesting the event will be monumental,” he commented.

Drew O’Dell, a representative from BetMGM, reported that UFC 324 recorded the highest betting handle of any UFC event ever, surpassing UFC 312, which previously held the record.